Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-12-02
THE GLASS TROUBLE.
What the workmen Have to Say Regard
ing the Manufacturers Action.

III Z SLASS IhoS bIah.
What the workmen Have to Say Regard
ing the Manufsoturers' Action.
The absorbing topic in glass circles yes
terday was the action ofthe manufacturers
at the Pittsburg meeting, as printed in the
morning papers yesterday. 4 good many
Of the workmen were very bitter over the
situation, aud there seemed to be q general
idea that more or less trouble Was bound
to result.
A REGISTER reporter met glass worker,
yesterday, and asked him what he thought
of the rules and regulations laid down bv
the manufactures.
well, l read them this morning, and /
think all glass workers read them with
interest Twas not at oil surprised at their
promulgation, but do think the manufsc-
turers have taken the liberty Of giving
themselves far the best side in about every
rule, if / read Alright"
What do you think will be the out
Gomez"
"0b, ! couldn't begin to say. ] under
stand the manufacturers have published
this as their ultimatum, and Of course il
may be for all / know, but / don't believe
the Union will take any action regarding
the matter until the revised scale, as they
call it, is presented. for Of course until
then We can form no definite idea Just what
we have to abide by, should we accept the
terms of the manufacturers.
HAS there been sny talk about the mat
ter among 0lassworkers?"
mo. At least | have not heard much
Generally they are engaged in keeping
tneir mouths shut, and no doubt 1t Is the
best way. Our decision will be announced
by January second, and as it will come
officially, Of course it will he effective.
There will probably he 4 joint meeting Of
glassworkers from the whole vicinity in the
not distant future, when the matter will
be thoroughly considered, although il is
my opinion that big lot Of discussion
will ensue before We come to any definite
conclusion regarding the matter. There
are several rules which will not in any way
conflict with the present rules, and others
that may be settled amicably,
but there are one or two
that are bound to cause trouble, aud II
not changed in some manner a strike is
bound TO ensue. This is especially true Of
rule Z Bat Of course | am merely ex-
pressing my opinion, but am sure II is
the same as that Of majority OF the work.
men, although can't say for sure There
will be interesting development. in the
future, and the public will then see how
the glsssworkers stand on the question"
AT MARTINS FERRY.
A prominent Union man in Martins
Ferry stated that, an equalization of mere
lists and prices would have no tendency to
cause strike. He would have no ohjec
ton 10 suffering reduction Of ten, fifteen
or twenty cents per turn ii IT was added
to the wages of fellow workman, even IL
he was in another factory. Such propo.
sition would have been welcomed, as
it would forever settle one Of these petty
causes OF trouble, hut the rules are arbi.
trary in the extreme, and have no bearing
whatever on the so-called matter OF equal.
iZltion.
A MANuFACTURER's VIEWS.
A Martins Ferry manufacturer told n
reporter yesterday that trade was Just now
very good, and that he would dislike very
much to close down He also said few
things which are undoubtedly OF interest
TO all. Among them is this: 81 never
like TO write anything which may have
the least double meaning and which does
not appear on its face exactly what IL IL
clear TO the bottom. Rule three apparent
ly means nothing more than its face in.
dicates, and II that were 10 il would he Of
no consequence. But In reality IL means
that the men shall ~ TO work in the fac
tory with the blowing Of the whistle and
work steadily two fye-hour turns,
the same as il done in Rochester,
Pa. This rule will, when under
stood, cause as much trouble az any Of the
more obnoxious ones on the list" " He
also stated that ''as Americans In a free
country the manufacturer has the undsni.
able right to hire whom he pleases; bat
Rule two cannot be- enforced. and ] am
sorry 10 see IL on the list Our Union ,nen
will he reduced to very low ebb before
they will work with nou-uDion men, and
il looks TO me like an effort TO coerce or
break the Union" He further said:
Rule eleven is a. arbitrary and unjust
as the rule the Union has had, whereby
they went int secret meeting and voted q
strike upon us without any warning. To
have made Rule eleven fair, II sh0nld have
provided as il does for an effort for the in.
dividual manager and his men 70 settle
their difficulties, and if unsuccessful,
tor joint conference between the
executive committees Of the mems
union and the Manufacturers As
sociation. For my part, wanted to see
some changes in the governing rules, and
an equalization Of the lists, bat II seems
10 me that the new rules are simply an IN.
vitation for fight which will surely be
accepted" The man quoted above was
not at the meeting on Wednesday, and did
not see the rules till they appeared in the
REGISTER yesterday. TIE manufacturer
quoted in this article also said in o very
pointed way that had the Mannfacturers'
Association made no rules except tho-e
necessary 10 equalize differences and
rectify grievances, they would bedeerying
of universal sympathy, but when II comes
TO breaking up the mems organizations,
il is trying TO take away = privilege very
popular In this country. To he union
man Ia birtbright Of the American toiler.
PRESENTED TO THE woRKNES.
A telegram received last eTening said
thst copy Of the rules and regulations
adopted by the Association has been
formally presented TO President William
Smith, OF the American Flint Glass Work.
ers' Union.